The Deliberations of Love Recap, Plot, Synopsis

The Deliberations of Love Synopsis

Fortunately, the heavens took pity on me and granted me a chance to start over. In the first "rebirth," oh dear, the poisoned wine was already at my lips. Couldn't time have moved a bit faster!?

In the second "rebirth," I managed to stop that person, but I couldn't prevent his stupid teammate. The team suffered, and I died again...

In the third "rebirth," this time I went back to the eve of the arranged marriage. Before tying the knot, i quit "the game".

The Deliberations of Love Recap

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Liu Yueqing looked at Pei Xun, with two glasses of wine in front of them. Liu Yueqing couldn't understand why Pei Xun, who could have lived a carefree life as a prince, insisted on competing for the perilous position of heir. Pei Xun mentioned that the moonlight tonight was just like the night when Liu Yueqing entered the palace as a bride. He asked if she regretted her decision. Liu Yueqing was at a loss, thinking that it was too late to regret now, given how far they had come. They both drank the poisoned wine.

When Liu Yueqing woke up, she was surprised to see her personal maid by her side. She never expected to see her again. Liu Yueqing felt that something was wrong and asked the maid what time it was. The maid told Liu Yueqing the current time, and Liu Yueqing realized that she had traveled back to the day before Pei Xun's rebellion. She believed that she still had a chance to change everything.

Liu Yueqing quickly packed her belongings, thinking that if she escaped, she could distance herself from the impending conflict. Unexpectedly, Pei Xun appeared and stopped her, insisting that she couldn't leave today.

Liu Yueqing called Pei Xun over and revealed that she was pregnant, estimating that it had been two or three months. Pei Xun pointed out that he wasn't even here two or three months ago and threatened Liu Yueqing, demanding to know the true father of the child. To escape Pei Xun's grasp, Liu Yueqing used a sleeping potion on him, but to her surprise, General Wang, one of Pei Xun's subordinates, initiated a rebellion even though he didn't see Pei Xun.

When the eunuch brought the poisoned wine, Liu Yueqing stated that she was familiar with the process and could handle it herself. She drank the poisoned wine. Pei Xun was shocked to see this.

Upon waking up, Liu Yueqing's mother was by her bedside, crying profusely. She said that even if Liu Yueqing didn't want to marry Pei Xun, it didn't have to be this way. Liu Yueqing felt something was amiss and asked what time it was. She learned that she had just been betrothed to Pei Xun and had not yet gotten married, which made her very happy.

Liu Yueqing was unwilling to marry Pei Xun and contemplated self-harm. Her father went to see the emperor. In the garden, a maid brought medicine for Liu Yueqing, but she mentioned that she didn't know what her future held and was not in the mood for medicine.

Liu Yueqing's father returned, saying that the emperor, in recognition of their family's hard work, agreed to cancel the marriage. Liu Yueqing was thrilled and immediately drank the medicine. Pei Xun also learned of this and his subordinates commented that Liu Yueqing lacked foresight and would surely regret it in the future.

Both Liu Yueqing and Pei Xun dreamt of the nightmare where Pei Xun strangled Liu Yueqing. They woke up. Pei Xun now didn't recognize this woman but continued to have nightmares. Liu Yueqing attended an event, and Pei Xun saw her. Liu Yueqing joined a lantern riddle guessing game and encountered a refined and elegant young man.

Pei Xun had someone inquire and learned that the man was named Yu Minghe. The matchmaker came to Liu Yueqing's home to propose a marriage between her and Yu Minghe, finding him to be an excellent and stable match for Liu Yueqing. Liu Yueqing's mother informed her of this proposal, and Liu Yueqing readily agreed. Her mother was concerned that they had not known each other for long, but Liu Yueqing listed Yu Minghe's virtues and believed he was a suitable match. Her mother advised her, as a young woman, to be modest.

Liu Yueqing's father returned from the palace, looking quite dejected. Liu Yueqing's mother quickly asked what was wrong and learned that the Emperor had named Pei Xun as the Crown Prince that day. Liu Yueqing's father was disheartened, feeling like they had missed a good opportunity. Liu Yueqing also couldn't believe that Pei Xun had actually succeeded in becoming the Crown Prince and thought that she was clearly not destined to become a Crown Princess.

After Pei Xun became the Crown Prince, many people came to congratulate him. Some brought gifts, but the ink on their presents was not even dry, indicating their surprise at Pei Xun's unexpected rise. Yu Minghe's father also came, and Pei Xun spoke to him about Yu Minghe, asking about his current position. Yu Minghe's father mentioned that Yu Minghe had not entered official service. Pei Xun expressed a desire to meet Yu Minghe if the opportunity arose.

Pei Xun planned to host a banquet for the ministers and sent an invitation to the Shang family, ensuring that Liu Yueqing would also attend.

Liu Yueqing was unwilling to attend the banquet; she didn't want Pei Xun to see her. Her father thought that with so many people at the banquet, Pei Xun wouldn't notice Liu Yueqing and insisted on bringing her along. Pei Xun's second brother, Pei Hao, also arrived, and Pei Xun mentioned that everyone was waiting for him, urging him to join the gathering.

Pei Xun stationed himself near the back entrance, waiting for an opportunity. Liu Yueqing also brought her father to this area. Her father questioned why she was so familiar with this place and even knew where the back door was. Liu Yueqing didn't answer but thought to herself that after living in this place for two generations, how could she not be familiar with it? To her surprise, as soon as the door opened, she saw Pei Xun.

Liu Yueqing's father quickly greeted Pei Xun, who suggested that Liu Yueqing's father should go inside since the area was being renovated, and he hadn't seen it yet. He arranged for someone to take Liu Yueqing's father on a tour.

Pei Xun mentioned that upon seeing Liu Yueqing, he felt a sense of familiarity. Liu Yueqing explained that it might be because she had a common appearance. Liu Yueqing finally managed to break free from Pei Xun and went inside, where she saw someone offering tea. She took the tea and drank it, despite the servant's comment that the tea wasn't meant for her. She ignored it. The servant then glanced at Pei Hao, who didn't instruct the servant to say anything.

After drinking the tea, Liu Yueqing started feeling dizzy, and the servant guided her to a resting place. She realized that this was Pei Xun's place and felt quite upset.

Pei Hao, upon meeting Pei Xun, expressed his disappointment that Pei Xun had become distant from him after becoming the Crown Prince. This left him feeling quite hurt. Pei Xun had spilled wine on himself and gone to change. Upon his return, Liu Yueqing rushed over and kissed him.

Pei Xun carried Liu Yueqing to the bed, realizing that she had been drugged by someone. He reassured her that it wasn't a poisonous drug and that resting would help. Liu Yueqing's father inquired about his daughter's whereabouts, and Han, the leader, mentioned that Liu Yueqing felt uneasy in crowded places and had gone to rest in the guest room. Liu Yueqing's father quickly confirmed her condition.

Pei Hao mentioned that the banquet was about to begin, and Pei Xun hadn't arrived yet. He wanted to take everyone to find Pei Xun. When Pei Hao arrived at the scene, Pei Xun explained that he had taken a short break. Pei Hao hadn't seen Liu Yueqing and was surprised. Earlier, Pei Xun had called for someone to check on Liu Yueqing, and she was now fine. The palace guards here were all identity-verified, so it seemed that someone had managed to infiltrate the event. Pei Xun emphasized that this place was not a place where anyone could come and go as they pleased.

Pei Xun had the servant who drugged Liu Yueqing brought forward, accusing him of plotting to harm the Crown Prince. The servant begged for mercy, but even Pei Hao didn't intervene. Liu Yueqing, witnessing the situation, felt that she didn't want to be involved in this mess and quickly pulled her father to leave. The upcoming Spring Hunting Festival was an event that should be organized by the Crown Prince, Pei Xun.

Pei Hao suggested that since Pei Xun had just become the Crown Prince and was not yet familiar with many matters, it might be better to let him handle this issue.

The Emperor asked for Pei Xun's thoughts, and he admitted to his lack of experience. However, he also believed that he couldn't only do what he was experienced in, and he needed to learn how to handle such matters. He hoped the Emperor would trust him. Seeing their disagreement, the Emperor suggested using the method of drawing circles, placing their military achievements on a piece of paper, and allowing them to shoot arrows to mark their respective military achievement areas. The person whose arrow landed closest to their own achievements would be responsible for organizing the Spring Hunting Festival.

The result was that Pei Hao's arrow marked only a tiny part of his achievements, so he had to concede to Pei Xun. Han Chun congratulated Pei Xun, and Pei Xun mentioned that he had expected this outcome. Han Chun asked if Liu Yueqing should also attend the event, as it would be a good opportunity for her to learn more about Pei Xun.

Han Chun delivered a letter from Pei Xun to Liu Yueqing. Pei Xun reminded Liu Yueqing of a favor she owed him. He threatened that if she didn't attend the Spring Hunting Festival, he would seek help from her fiancé. Liu Yueqing reluctantly agreed to attend.

The envoy from the Qiang kingdom, Shang Yan, had always concealed her face with a veil, and nobody knew her true appearance. Pei Hao planned to send assassins to kill Shang Yan, as this would impede Pei Xun's organization of the Spring Hunting Festival and surely result in consequences. When Liu Yueqing arrived at the Spring Hunting Festival, she put on a veil and slipped away.

Han Zhen informed Pei Xun that he had made arrangements. Since nobody had ever seen Shang Yan's true face, Han Zhen would send someone to pretend to be Shang Yan and lure her to the western side of the hunting grounds, where they would capture her. The assassins noticed two masked women and hurriedly pursued them.

A group of assassins chased after one of the women. Han Zhen had prepared for this and managed to capture all of them. Pei Hao saw the signal and thought they had succeeded, feeling very pleased. Liu Yueqing found herself being pursued by unknown assailants and had no idea who she had offended. Pei Xun turned to fight the assassins, but Liu Yueqing accidentally fell off a cliff. Pei Xun quickly rushed to catch her.

Both of them ended up at the bottom of the cliff, thankfully unharmed. Shang Yan admitted that she had been having a recurring dream for many years in which a woman poisoned herself for her lover. This woman bore a striking resemblance to Liu Yueqing. Liu Yueqing quickly promised never to appear in front of Pei Xun again, not allowing him to see her face.

Liu Yueqing wanted to return home, but Pei Xun mentioned that the woods were full of poisonous snakes and fierce beasts, so she had to stay. Han Zhen came to inform Liu Yueqing's parents about their situation, explaining that Pei Xun had been injured while rescuing Liu Yueqing. She would stay to take care of him, so they shouldn't worry. The next morning, Liu Yueqing returned, sat down, and started eating heartily.

Liu Yueqing's father asked her why she had gone to the Spring Hunting Festival, and why Pei Xun had gotten injured trying to save her. Liu Yueqing didn't provide a direct answer and simply ate a large bowl of rice. She mentioned that she hadn't had much of an appetite since she skipped lunch. After speaking, she went back to her room. Her father was left feeling quite frustrated, and her mother suggested that he shouldn't press for more answers.

The Emperor inquired about how the Spring Hunting Festival was going. Pei Xun reported that it was progressing smoothly. He mentioned that there had been some individuals with ill intentions towards the envoy, but they had already captured them. After interrogating them, he believed they would be able to uncover the mastermind behind it. The Emperor was angered to hear that someone had dared to harm the envoy and instructed Pei Xun to thoroughly investigate the matter.

Pei Hao was also concerned and asked where Pei Xun had detained the culprits. He wanted Pei Xun to hand them over to him for interrogation, confident that he could extract the truth from the mastermind. However, Pei Xun ignored Pei Hao's request, which left Pei Hao quite frustrated upon his return.

Pei Xun remembered Yue Minghe and mentioned that he already had someone in mind for the position at the Bureau of Historiography. Liu Yueqing, upon hearing this, felt disheartened. Yue Minghe had previously said he only wanted to open a bookstore, but now he claimed that his position was different due to the Crown Prince's favor. Yue Minghe asked if Liu Yueqing would be willing to wait for him for two more years. Tomorrow was the Lantern Festival, and he invited her to go see the lanterns together.

Yue Minghe mentioned that tomorrow was the Lantern Festival and invited Liu Yueqing to go see the lanterns with him. He explained that they had first met near the lanterns and wanted to experience it again. Liu Yueqing didn't refuse the invitation. Yue Minghe arrived at the Eastern Palace, where Pei Xun showed him the palace's books. Liu Yueqing came to find him and was pleased to hear that Pei Xun now highly appreciated Yue Minghe, believing he would surely rise in the ranks. She asked her father if power was indeed that important, to which her father replied that it was for many people.

Yue Minghe approached Pei Xun, wanting to leave the palace early. Pei Xun asked if Yue Minghe had made plans with a lady, and Yue Minghe confirmed that he had a rendezvous with Liu Yueqing to see the lanterns. Upon seeing a rare white Liangbi, Yue Minghe expressed his desire to take a look. Pei Xun acknowledged Yue Minghe's talent for writing and asked him to compose a poem. If the poem turned out well, he would bestow the brush upon him.

Yue Minghe wrote the poem, but he had also had quite a bit to drink. Pei Xun had someone take Yue Minghe to rest, noting that he had become a bit tipsy while composing the poem. Liu Yueqing arrived at the lanterns, feeling that their relationship had begun there, and perhaps it should end there too. Pei Xun also came and asked Liu Yueqing to win a lantern for him. She won the lantern and gave it to Pei Xun, accompanied by a poem with a hidden jest. After writing the poem, Liu Yueqing left.

The next day, Yue Minghe visited Pei Xun, apologizing for his drunken behavior the previous day. Pei Xun didn't say much. Yue Minghe noticed a lantern on Pei Xun's table and asked if he had attended the Lantern Festival yesterday. Pei Xun confirmed that he had. Yue Minghe recognized the handwriting on the lantern and knew it belonged to Liu Yueqing.

Pei Hao's guards noticed that Pei Xun had gone out with a lady to enjoy themselves and promptly informed Pei Hao. Initially, Pei Hao didn't think much of it, but upon learning that the lady was Liu Yueqing, who was already engaged to Yue Minghe, and Yue Minghe was working in the Eastern Palace, he found it very intriguing. Pei Hao called Yue Minghe over and informed him about the situation. Pei Xun heard about it but didn't dwell on it too much. However, he had come to understand that Yue Minghe was not a person solely focused on his work.

Pei Hao told Yue Minghe that his people had seen Liu Yueqing and Pei Xun attending the Lantern Festival together, and he added that Liu Yueqing had been engaged to Pei Xun before. He couldn't understand why the engagement had been broken, and now that Yue Minghe was working in Pei Xun's palace, he suspected that Pei Xun had ulterior motives. It was possible that Liu Yueqing and Pei Xun had rekindled their old flame during the Lantern Festival. Yue Minghe was furious upon hearing this news, and Pei Hao praised Yue Minghe's talents.

A mysterious person handed a book to a child and instructed them to deliver it to the Eastern Palace. Han Zhen came and purchased the book. He gave the book to Pei Xun, and it contained information about the previous dynasty, subtly mocking the incompetence of the current one. Pei Xun believed it was likely Yue Minghe acting on his own rather than Pei Hao's doing.

Han Zhen wanted to arrest Yue Minghe, but Pei Xun advised against it, as it might lead to the persecution of many dissenters, and he didn't want to involve Liu Yueqing. So, Han Zhen brought Yue Minghe back and temporarily detained him.

A servant came to inform Liu Yueqing that Yue Minghe had disappeared after entering the Eastern Palace. She suspected that Pei Xun had something to do with it, and even if she had offended him, he should come to her, not imprison Yue Minghe. She was willing to take the blame for Yue Minghe if necessary.

Pei Xun took Liu Yueqing to see Yue Minghe and explained what he had done. Yue Minghe claimed he was confused and thought Pei Xun still had feelings for Liu Yueqing, so he wanted Liu Yueqing to plead for him. Liu Yueqing was disappointed with Yue Minghe's behavior and didn't expect him to act this way. She asked Pei Xun not to implicate other members of the Yue family. As a result, Pei Xun ordered Yue Minghe to receive thirty lashes and a lifetime ban from holding office.

Yue Minghe was sent back to the Yue family, and Mr. Yue was quite upset. He believed that his son had been very unlucky since getting engaged to Liu Yueqing and wanted to cancel the engagement. Mr. Yue, along with Yue Minghe, went to the Liu family to request breaking off the engagement. Liu Yueqing's father, upon hearing this, was also displeased, as he believed his daughter had done nothing wrong, and he questioned the idea of breaking off the engagement.

Pei Xun learned of the situation and quickly arrived. Liu Yueqing also came and asked Yue Minghe about his intentions, but he struggled to express himself. Liu Yueqing's mother, infuriated by the situation, decided to leave and let her daughter handle it. She felt that the family matters could be resolved without her.

Liu Yueqing had thought she had secured a stable future for herself, but now it had taken an unexpected turn. She felt disappointed and stated that she was willing to break off the engagement, but she insisted on writing the document herself.

Mr. Yue refused, claiming that it was Liu Yueqing who had seduced Pei Xun, so there was no way she could write the letter. Pei Xun also arrived, expressing surprise at Mr. Yue's unusual interest in his personal affairs. Mr. Yue was frightened by Pei Xun's presence and became too scared to say anything further. Pei Xun said he loved Liu Yueqing, but since she had clearly rejected him, if they wanted to break off the engagement, he would continue pursuing her.

Liu Yueqing said she was willing to marry Pei Xun again, and Mr. Yue and the others quickly left. Pei Xun went to find Liu Yueqing and asked when she would marry him again. He attempted to get closer to her, but Liu Yueqing slapped him and drove him away. Pei Xun returned and instructed Han Zhen to propose to the Liu family immediately.

Liu Yueqing's father was pleased to see the gifts and said they were all for him, but Liu Yueqing insisted on returning them. Han Zhen had to take the items back, and Pei Xun sent him again. After this back-and-forth happened twice, Liu Yueqing's father said that it shouldn't go beyond three times, and he couldn't return the gifts anymore.

Liu Yueqing had to go to Pei Xun herself, and coincidentally, Shang Guanyan came to see Pei Xun. Pei Xun asked Liu Yueqing to wait in the back for a moment. Shang Guanyan came to express gratitude to Pei Xun for saving her life at the hunting ground by arranging a substitute. She said she had already died, and Pei Xun explained that his father had instructed him to protect the envoy, so it was his duty.

Liu Yueqing thought she was Pei Xun's arranged substitute for Shang Guanyan and was very angry. Shang Guanyan gave her veil to Pei Xun as a token of appreciation, and Pei Xun asked Han Zhen to take it. When Liu Yueqing came out and smashed a vase, she confronted Pei Xun. He explained that he had arranged a different substitute and that if he hadn't saved her, she would have died. Liu Yueqing didn't know what to say.

Pei Xun stated that he wanted to settle the matter with Liu Yueqing regarding the broken vase, which was a valuable gift from the Empress Dowager. He mentioned it had a significant value. Liu Yueqing asked Pei Xun how much money he needed, and she would compensate for it. Han Zhen mentioned it was six thousand taels, and Liu Yueqing was surprised that it was such a large sum, thinking that Pei Xun had been waiting for her.

Pei Xun said that if Liu Yueqing wasn't willing to compensate, he would write a letter to her father for him to arbitrate. Liu Yueqing thought of her father's love for money and how he would likely say that his private funds, which were akin to his life, were not to be used to save her.

Pei Xun suggested that if she didn't have the money, she could work in the Eastern Palace, and the money could be deducted from her salary. Liu Yueqing wrote a letter back, saying that if her father didn't help her, her mother would surely intervene. Her father read the letter and reassured her mother that Liu Yueqing would be fine, considering Pei Xun's protective behavior.

Upon receiving her father's response, Liu Yueqing was disheartened to see that he advised her to work diligently in the Eastern Palace and not provoke the Crown Prince. She was dismayed by this development. Pei Xun instructed Han Zhen to arrange a room for Liu Yueqing to rest, which surprised her since she had been trying to distance herself from him.

Liu Yueqing was very upset and couldn't sleep, while on the other hand, Pei Xun slept soundly, thinking about Liu Yueqing staying here. The next day, Pei Xun went out and found Liu Yueqing outside. Han Zhen felt that the way Liu Yueqing carried herself made it seem like she was the mistress of the Eastern Palace. Pei Xun asked Liu Yueqing if she had organized the library, and she said she hadn't had a chance to do so. Pei Xun asked her to come with him.

Liu Yueqing followed Pei Xun to the library and remembered their past interactions. Pei Xun asked Liu Yueqing to help him grind ink and mentioned something she had told him before. Liu Yueqing was surprised and wondered how Pei Xun knew about those things.

Pei Xun came to see Liu Yueqing when she was half-asleep, and she called him "Your Highness," inviting him to sleep and leaving him half of the bed. Pei Xun didn't move, but Liu Yueqing urged him to do so. The next day, Liu Yueqing woke up and saw Pei Xun there, which shocked her. Pei Xun said it was Liu Yueqing who had asked him to stay. She quickly ran away.

Liu Yueqing felt very disoriented and didn't know why she had done such things the previous day. Throughout the day, she avoided Pei Xun. When Pei Xun came to see her, Liu Yueqing told him not to disturb her while she organized the books and asked him to leave. In reality, she wasn't angry; she was just a bit embarrassed.

Pei Hao learned that Pei Xun had been in the Eastern Palace for some time without leaving and found it quite interesting. He went with some people to take a look. Upon arriving at the Eastern Palace gate, Pei Hao saw Yue Minghe acting suspiciously outside and brought him over. Pei Hao said that he had only asked Yue Minghe to write about Pei Xun's romantic affairs and didn't expect him to write about rebellion.

Yue Minghe mentioned that he couldn't hold office anymore and asked for Pei Hao's help. Pei Hao said he had some connections with borderland lords and suggested that Yue Minghe go there. Liu Yueqing received a letter from her relative, inviting her to go out. When she left, Han Zhen came to tell Pei Xun. Pei Xun thought that Liu Yueqing might not find her way back, so he decided to go with her to take a look.

Liu Yueqing arrived and was surprised to find it was Yue Minghe. Yue Minghe wanted to leave and asked Liu Yueqing to go with him to live an ordinary life. She declined, saying she had been seeking stability because she hadn't found someone willing to strive with her. Now she had found that person and thanked Yue Minghe for making her realize this. Yue Minghe insisted on taking her with him, but Pei Xun intervened, taking Liu Yueqing away and warning Yue Minghe not to return to the capital.

Han Zhen came to inform Pei Xun that there were problems with the grain supply to the border. The situation was becoming unstable, and they requested a reshipment of grain. Someone had accused Pei Xun of mishandling the grain transport, causing the border region to go without supplies, and called for severe punishment. Yue Minghe's father accused Pei Xun of plundering his son's fiancée, who was already engaged, and driving his son away. He appealed to the emperor for justice.

Pei Hao got wind of this and went to the emperor, expressing his belief that Pei Xun, despite his flaws, would not commit such actions. He asked the emperor to investigate thoroughly and not wrong Pei Xun.

Han Zhen told Liu Yueqing that Pei Xun wouldn't be having a meal with her today. Liu Yueqing inquired if something had happened, and she wanted to go out. Han Zhen stopped her. Yue Minghe's father arrived with an imperial decree, and the emperor ordered Pei Xun to reflect in seclusion. Yue Minghe's father suggested that the emperor wanted Pei Xun to kneel.

Liu Yueqing overheard this from inside the house. In the pouring rain, Pei Xun knelt, and Liu Yueqing came with an umbrella to see him. She asked him why he was kneeling, and he questioned her presence. Liu Yueqing explained that she had been at the Eastern Palace for some time, receiving Pei Xun's care, and it was only natural for her to come and check on him. Pei Xun said if she intended to leave sooner or later, she didn't need to come.

Liu Yueqing came to see Pei Xun and brought some food. Pei Xun explained that he was under house arrest, and without a decree from the emperor, no one could visit him. He asked Liu Yueqing to return and wait for some time before discussing further. As Liu Yueqing prepared to leave, Han Zhen arrived to inform Pei Xun that the emperor had sent General Wang to investigate the border grain supply.

Hearing Pei Xun mention General Wang, Liu Yueqing recalled that this General Wang had been in Pei Xun's service in the previous life. Back then, she had tied up Pei Xun, but news of his rebellion still got out. It made her suspicious of General Wang's loyalty and intentions. Liu Yueqing wanted to investigate the matter. Pei Xun suggested going to the border to thoroughly examine the situation.

When Liu Yueqing returned and told her father about her intention to go to the border, he initially disagreed, deeming it too dangerous. Liu Yueqing argued that if something happened to Pei Xun, they couldn't avoid being implicated, so they needed to clarify the situation. Her father eventually saw the reasoning in her argument.

Liu Yueqing packed her belongings and got ready to depart. Her parents came to see her off, urging her to take care of herself. As Han Zhen left the house, he noticed Liu Yueqing approaching. She insisted on going with him to uncover the truth, even though he expressed concern about the danger involved, fearing that His Highness would not spare him. Liu Yueqing decided to go alone, but Han Zhen eventually relented and allowed her to accompany him.

The commander at the border was delighted, thinking that Pei Xun was under house arrest due to the border grain issue, and with a little push from their side, Pei Xun would be done for. A masked figure in black was also present, cautioning the commander not to let his guard down. General Wang arrived, explaining that the emperor had sent him to investigate the grain situation.

Liu Yueqing and Han Zhen arrived at a village, and a local man noticed them. He inquired about their purpose, as they didn't seem like locals. Liu Yueqing claimed they were looking for relatives but hadn't found them yet. She requested to stay overnight in the village. The man hesitated but, deeming them nonthreatening, allowed them in.

Later in the evening, a military officer arrived to requisition grain, claiming they were the personal guards of the Crown Prince, and he was there on the Crown Prince's orders. A woman explained that their family had no food left, and there was an 80-year-old mother and two children who needed to eat. The officer callously responded that they should stop complaining at their age, deeming it a waste of rations.

Liu Yueqing and her group couldn't bear to watch this and intervened to stop the officer. They asked who had sent him, and he claimed they were the Crown Prince's personal guards, sent by the Crown Prince himself. Han Zhen instructed Liu Yueqing to take the villagers to safety while he confronted the officer and managed to apprehend him.

Liu Yueqing and Han Zhen arrived in the area and found the collected grain, but it was just rice husks and not suitable for consumption. Liu Yueqing asked the officer in charge about the confiscated grain's whereabouts. The officer claimed it was all there, and they could see for themselves. Liu Yueqing warned the officer that if he didn't tell the truth, she would have Han Zhen dismember his arm.

Other people brought more grain, and Liu Yueqing and Han Zhen quickly hid. After these individuals left, Liu Yueqing inspected the grain and discovered it was actual rice fit for consumption. These supplies were intended for the Northwestern camp. Liu Yueqing inquired further about what was happening, suspecting that someone was maintaining private troops. The officer explained that it was the Crown Prince who ordered the grain to be switched. He believed it was clear who was maintaining private troops. When asked when the grain would be delivered to the Northwestern camp, he stated it would be three days later, during the midnight hour.

Liu Yueqing and her group took the grain back, explaining that someone had impersonated the Crown Prince's orders to requisition grain. They wanted to redistribute it to the villagers, who were relieved to hear this. Liu Yueqing instructed Han Zhen to find the leader of the Crown Prince's personal guards, Yun, to inform him of the situation and the possibility of a spy in their midst. Liu Yueqing would keep the officer detained while Han Zhen sought out Pei Xun, assuring him that it was safe with Yun present.

Han Zhen considered it and eventually agreed to help. Liu Yueqing had a nightmare in which she dreamt that Pei Xun was stabbed, and this startled her when she woke up. She couldn't understand why she had such a dream. Meanwhile, Pei Xun was playing chess in the Eastern Palace. His brother, Pei Hao, came to visit him, remarking on the fact that he was still playing chess even though he was under house arrest. Pei Xun mentioned that Pei Hao had been scolded by their father for defending him, and Pei Hao explained that he didn't want his brother to be falsely accused.

During their chess game, Pei Xun and Pei Hao both found it strange that Pei Hao, who had been competitive in the past, was no longer so since becoming the Crown Prince. Pei Xun shared that his previous competitiveness was driven by their mother's last wish. However, he had now found someone who, despite her fear of death, was willing to stay with him. For her sake, he couldn't be competitive anymore.

When Han Zhen returned to inform Pei Xun about this situation, Pei Xun immediately rushed over, leaving Pei Hao to handle the unfinished chess game. Liu Yueqing realized that it would take too long for her to reach the capital, so she and Han Zhen disguised themselves as grain transport soldiers. However, they were betrayed by the officer in charge. When the local people discovered their true identities, Yun, the leader of the Crown Prince's personal guards, fought to protect them. Pei Xun arrived on horseback and, upon seeing Liu Yueqing, quickly helped her onto the horse.

Pei Xun and Liu Yueqing entered a house, and Pei Xun mentioned that the conditions in the army were simple, with only one bed, so they would have to stay together. Liu Yueqing didn't say anything in response. Pei Xun asked if she was scared to come here alone, and she admitted to being afraid but expressed her trust that Pei Xun would return. Pei Xun kissed her.

The next day, Yun, the leader of the Crown Prince's personal guards, arrived, stating that things had been resolved here, thanks to Pei Xun's intervention. Yun mentioned that there was also the presence of the Prince of a Vassal State (fān wáng), but Pei Xun thought that he didn't seem like someone with a cunning mind.

Pei Xun draped a cloak over Liu Yueqing and told her that after he dealt with the matters here, they would return together. He asked her to wait inside for a while. Liu Yueqing agreed and went inside. However, Yue Minghe, who was hiding nearby, saw her and was furious that she had followed them.

Yue Minghe handed a note to Liu Yueqing, asking her to meet outside. She went to the meeting point and encountered a masked figure. When the person removed the mask, she was surprised to find it was Yue Minghe. He blamed her and Pei Xun for his current situation, claiming that he wouldn't be like this if it weren't for them. Liu Yueqing clarified that he had brought this upon himself by falsely accusing Pei Xun, and it was not their doing.

Pei Xun received a note indicating that Liu Yueqing was with the sender, instructing him to come to a certain location.

When Pei Xun arrived, he found Liu Yueqing tied to a tree with Yue Minghe standing nearby. Yue Minghe told Pei Xun that if he wanted to save Liu Yueqing, he would have to die right there, and then the black-clothed men beside him attacked Pei Xun. Pei Xun engaged in a fight with these men while Liu Yueqing watched anxiously, unable to do anything.

During the fight, Pei Xun was injured, which brought joy to Yue Minghe. He laughed and said that after Pei Xun died, he would kill Liu Yueqing too, forcing her to accompany Pei Xun in death. Yue Minghe mentioned that he knew it wouldn't be easy to defeat Pei Xun, so he had applied a potent poison to all his swords. Pei Xun was already poisoned, which made Liu Yueqing very angry.

Pei Xun managed to defeat the black-clothed men, and when Yue Minghe attempted to kill Liu Yueqing, Pei Xun shot an arrow that killed Yue Minghe. He then released Liu Yueqing, who cradled him in her arms.

Pei Xun reminisced about the first time he met Liu Yueqing during the Lantern Festival. At that time, he had just been crowned as the Yì Prince (a title or rank), and he had sneaked out of the palace to attend the festival. Liu Yueqing had promised to guide him, but she accidentally led him to the wrong street. She had guided him to the north street, while the festival was actually happening on the south street.

Liu Yueqing was surprised that Pei Xun still remembered these details and mentioned that they could attend the Lantern Festival together next year.

Liu Yueqing found herself back in the ninth year of Yongde, a time when she hadn't married yet and was still the daughter of the Shangshu Mansion. It all felt like a world apart, but some memories remained vivid. Liu Yueqing asked a maid nearby what kind of person she'd like to marry in the future, but the maid cautioned against speaking carelessly, as their husband was about to arrive, and it wouldn't be good if he overheard.

Pei Xun came in, and Liu Yueqing was surprised to see him. Pei Xun introduced himself as the newly appointed husband of the mansion, named Mu Qing. Liu Yueqing asked Pei Xun if he wanted to be an emperor, and he quickly covered her mouth, explaining that such talk was dangerous and could lead to execution. Liu Yueqing embraced Pei Xun.

The storyteller continued narrating, and many people in the audience were eager to know if the young lord eventually recognized his wife. The storyteller teased them to wait for the next installment. People in the audience were making donations, and Pei Hao, who was in disguise, also gave a gold ingot, being advised to keep a low profile.

Pei Hao's consort came over and asked why he had unveiled her face when they first met. Pei Hao remembered his earlier words about only revealing the face of a beloved person, stating that secrets of fate shouldn't be disclosed. Liu Yueqing and Pei Xun were also present, watching as snowflakes fell from the sky. Liu Yueqing caught a snowflake and was overjoyed. The two of them shared an affectionate embrace.

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